Two New Exhibitions on View at Lyme Art Association Through Aug. 4

‘Foggy Harbor’ by Carole Constant is one of the signature works in the ‘Ship to Shore’ exhibition on view at the Lyme Art Association through Aug. 4.

OLD LYME — Two new exhibitions are on view at Lyme Art Association (LAA), Ship to Shore and Renaissance in Pastel. An opening reception and award presentation for both exhibitions is being held Friday, June 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Celebrating all aspects of sea and shoreline life, Ship to Shore is a member’s exhibition, which features a broad range of styles and mediums including paintings, drawings and sculptures. The exhibit is juried by Anthony Tomaselli, who is a painter based in Providence, R.I. He apprenticed with Gene Tonoff and Joseph Rotundo and is represented by a variety of galleries.

Lyme Art Association Gallery Manager Paul Michael says, “Our coastal communities are a vital part of New England life. This show acts as a survey of contemporary maritime artwork, celebrating the seas that connect us.”

Concurrent with Ship to Shore, the Connecticut Pastel Society will display Renaissance in Pastel. The exhibition includes the finest pastel work from the Connecticut Pastel Society member artists. Lyme Art Association is delighted to welcome back the Connecticut Pastel Society for this always impressive show.

The exhibition’s awards are juried by Eileen Casey. Casey is a member of the International Association of Pastel Societies Master Circle and graduated from Emmanuel College in Boston.

In addition to these two exhibitions, Lyme Art Association’s youth exhibition, Water All Around Us, will be on display in the Mile Brook Gallery.

The shows run through Aug. 4, 2022.

Lyme Art Association is located in a building designed by Charles Adams Platt and located within the national historic district at 90 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT.

Ship to Shore is made possible by the generous support of the LAA’s premier sponsor, Essex Savings Bank.

The LAA was founded in 1914 by the American Impressionists and continues the tradition of exhibiting and selling representational artwork by its members and invited artists, as well as offering art instruction and lectures to the community. Admission is free with contributions appreciated.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 to 5 p.m.

For more information on exhibits, purchase of art, art classes, or becoming a member, visit the LAA website or call (860) 434-7802.

June 14 & 15 COVID-19 Update: Three New Cases in Lyme, Three in Old Lyme take Cumulative Totals to 324, 1315 Respectively

Photo by CDC on Unsplash,

LYME/OLD LYME — The Daily Data Reports issued Tuesday, June 14, and Wednesday, June 15, by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) show a total of three new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme and also three in Lyme compared with June 13 numbers. The link above is always to the most recent day of CT DPH reports.

These cases raise Old Lyme’s cumulative case total to 1315 from 1312 on June 13 and Lyme’s to 324 from 321 on the same date.

The cases by town were as follows:

Lyme
6/14: 1
6/15: 2

Old Lyme
6/14: 2
6/15: 1

Therefore June 9 still stands as the first day since April 5, 2022 on which no new cases were reported in either town.

Prior to April 5, the previous day on which no new cases were reported in either Lyme or Old Lyme was March 24. There were also no new cases on March 9 and 4, and Feb. 24. The previous date prior to Feb. 24 when no new cases were reported in either town was Dec. 12, 2021.

Prior to March 25, the Town of Lyme had gone for 23 consecutive days with no new cases being reported. Two new cases were reported in Lyme on March 25

Statewide Situation – Weekly Update

This map, updated June 9, 2022 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme remain in the Red (highest) Zone. One hundred and forty nine towns (representing a total of 88.2% of the state) remain in the Red Zone. Only cases among persons living in community settings are included in this map; the map does not include cases among people who reside in nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities. Map: Ver 12.1.2020 Source: CT Department of Public Health Get the data Created with Datawrapper.

On Thursday, June 9, the CT DPH also released its latest weekly COVID-19 Alert Map (pictured above), which indicates that 149 municipalities remain in the Red (highest of four) Zone for case rates. These towns in the Red Zone include both Lyme and Old Lyme.

Eleven towns are in the Orange Zone, one in the Yellow Zone and eight in the Gray Zone.

This number for the Red Zone is 10 less than for the previous week meaning the number of towns in the Red Zone  represents 88.2% of the state.

As a reminder, the number of towns in the Red Zone on Jan. 27, 2022 was 168 out of 169 towns.

As of June 9, 2022, all nine towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) remain in the Red Zone. The LLHD is no longer issuing reports with updated Case Rates and other metrics.

The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones Thursday, June 16 — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

The color-coded zones on the map above are:

Red: Indicates case rates over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population
Orange: Indicates case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population
Yellow: Indicates case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population
Gray: Indicates case rates lower than five per 100,000 population

CDC Maintains ‘Community Level’ at Low for New London County, Fairfield County Also Low; All Other CT Counties are ‘Medium’


June 9 Community Transmission levels. Map courtesy of CDC.

The map above shows that on June 9, both New London and Fairfield Counties are now categorized as ‘Low’ for Community Level, while all other Towns are ‘Medium.’ These levels are updated weekly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursdays.

The most recent email sent out by Ledge Light Health District regarding COVID data, which was sent out Friday, May 27, said, “Community members are advised to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, get tested if they have symptoms, and wear a mask when they are around others if they have symptoms, are positive or have had an exposure.”

It added, “People with symptoms should be tested and people with a positive test should isolate per guidelines. Masking remains an effective method for reducing the spread of COVID-19 and people may choose to mask even though our region is not designated as “High.””

The email concluded, “You can find the latest CDC Community Level, schedules of vaccination clinics and community testing events, and isolation/quarantine guidance on our website and, as always, we are here to answer any questions or provide support for community members.

Community Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID cases in a specific geographical area. CDC recommends taking precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID based on Community Levels in your area.

You can view the new tool by following this link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

LLHD continues to focus its vaccination efforts on homebound populations and providing initial vaccinations and boosters to individuals who were vaccinated previously. Information about vaccination opportunities can be found at https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-vaccine/.

COVID testing opportunities can be found at COVID-19 Testing | Ledge Light Health District (llhd.org)

The following link provides centralized access to Connecticut COVID data: https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-data/wa3g-tfvc/.

An explanation of the CDC Community Levels tool by Thomas Gotowka can be found at this link.

Statewide Situation – Daily Update

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate broke the 10% watershed on May 4 at 10.32%. It went through the 14% mark with the May 20 Rate of 14.19%, but the June 15 Positivity Rate has fallen to 7.98%. 

On June 15, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations fell to 272 from the 282 recorded June 14.

In contrast, on Jan. 12, 2022, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations was 1,939.

Of those hospitalized on June 15, the number not fully vaccinated was 91 (representing 33.46%).

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut rose to 11,015 on June 15, according to The New York Times.

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by CT DPH Thursday, June 16, around 4 p.m.

Increase in Cases in Lyme & Old Lyme Since August 2021

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 872 since Wednesday, Nov. 10, when the total stood at 443 — that number had stood unchanged for a week since the previous Thursday, Nov. 4.

On Aug. 26 — which was the day Lyme-Old Lyme Schools started the new academic year — Old Lyme’s cumulative case total stood at 372, meaning there have now been 943 new cases there since that date.

Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 210 new cases have also been confirmed there during the same period.

Fatalities Due to COVID-19 in Lyme, Old Lyme

There has been one COVID-related fatality of a Lyme resident: a 57-year-old male passed away Nov. 16, 2021. On Nov. 30, the state finally included this fatality in its data

Four COVID-related fatalities have now been reported in Old Lyme. The first two fatalities from Old Lyme, which were reported in 2020, were a 61-year-old female and an 82-year-old male.

Details of the third and fourth fatalities, which were reported respectively in 2021 and on Feb. 4, 2022, have not been made available.

COVID-19 Situation in LOL Schools

Under new state protocols for schools, Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools are no longer required to carry out contact tracing.

LOL Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser explained the latest developments in LOL Schools COVID protocols in an email dated April 1 to the school community, saying, “As noted in my email of February 17, 2022, beginning April 1, 2022 we will no longer report daily COVID-19 cases in the schools.”

He then stated, “For the remainder of this school year, that information will be complied on a weekly basis and will be available on our website at the following link: https://www.region18.org/parents/covid-data.”

Details published to date show the following number of positive cases in LOL Schools by week.
April 3-9: 0
April 10-16: 0
April 17-23: Spring Break
April 24-30: 7
May 2-7: 27
May 8-14: 41
May 15-21: 30
May 22-28: 23
May 29-June 4: 55
June 5-June 11: 19

The total number of cases recorded by the CT DPH in Lyme and Old Lyme for the week June 5-June 11 was 18, indicating almost all reported cases are potentially associated with LOL Schools.

For a summary of cases in LOL Schools between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2022, visit this link.

View a full listing of cases in LOL Schools between 8/26/21 – 12/23/21 at this link.

Old Lyme’s DeBernardo Brings Home Three Golds, One Bronze From USA 2022 Special Olympics Games

Old Lyme resident Andrea DeBarnardo won three Gold medals and one Bronze at the 2022 Special Olympics USA held in June in Florida.

OLD LYME — In a remarkable feat, Old Lyme resident and Lyme-Old Lyme High School student Andrea DeBernardo won three gold medals, a bronze and a 5th place ribbon in the Special Olympics USA Games held in ESPN Worldwide Sports Complex at Orlando, Fla. from June 4 to 12.

She competed in Artistic Gymnastics along with over 50 individuals from other states in the country.  These individuals competed in Levels 1 to Levels 4.

DeBernardo moved to Level 3 this past year after sharpening her skills while participating in the Lyme-Old Lyme High School Gymnastics program.  During this program, she was able to develop her own floor routine, which is a component of the Level 3 Special Olympics program. Level 3 gymnasts are required to be independent and require minimal assistance from the coach during performance (i.e. balance beam).

Her head coach, Christine Corah, and Andrea’s sister Elise worked on choreographing DeBernardo’s routine during the winter season. DeBernardo has been working hard these last few months practicing three days a week to prepare for the Olympics event.

DeBernardo has been participating in the Special Olympics since she was in middle school. She competed in the following events and placed as shown:

Level 3 All Around                         Gold Medal
Level 3 Uneven Bars                      Gold Medal
Level 3 Floor Exercise                   Gold Medal
Level 3 Balance Beam                   Bronze Medal
Level 3 Vaulting                              5th place ribbon

Connecticut Special Olympics sent a total of 33 delegates to the USA 2022 Special Olympic Games with three of them competing in the gymnastics section. DeBernardo was chosen to be one of the three gymnasts to participate in this event in October 2021 and starting group training in January of 2022 with her two fellow team members.

DeBernardo’s mother, Irene, said by email to coach Corah, “Andrea appreciated all the support of her friends and family back at home during her competition that she received through the special messaging system the Special Olympics application created.”

She added, “Andrea has always felt part of the inclusive atmosphere that has been created at the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.”

Editor’s Note: Congratulations, Andrea, on this amazing achievement!

June 13 COVID-19 Update: Four New Cases Reported in Lyme, Four in Old Lyme, Monday; CT Breaks 11,000 COVID Fatalities

Four New Cases in Each Town Monday, Cumulative Totals Increase to 1312 (OL), 321 (Lyme)

Photo by CDC on Unsplash,

LYME/OLD LYME — The Daily Data Report issued Monday, June 13, by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) show a total of four new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme and similarly, four in Lyme compared with June 10 numbers. Reports are not issued by CT DPH over the weekend.

These cases raise Old Lyme’s cumulative case total to 1312 from 1308 on June 10 and Lyme’s to 321 from 317 on the same date.

Therefore June 9 still stands as the first day since April 5, 2022 on which no new cases were reported in either town.

Prior to April 5, the previous day on which no new cases were reported in either Lyme or Old Lyme was March 24. There were also no new cases on March 9 and 4, and Feb. 24. The previous date prior to Feb. 24 when no new cases were reported in either town was Dec. 12, 2021.

Prior to March 25, the Town of Lyme had gone for 23 consecutive days with no new cases being reported. Two new cases were reported in Lyme on March 25

Statewide Situation – Weekly Update

This map, updated June 9, 2022 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme remain in the Red (highest) Zone. One hundred and forty nine towns (representing a total of 88.2% of the state) remain in the Red Zone. Only cases among persons living in community settings are included in this map; the map does not include cases among people who reside in nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities. Map: Ver 12.1.2020 Source: CT Department of Public Health Get the data Created with Datawrapper.

On Thursday, June 9, the CT DPH also released its latest weekly COVID-19 Alert Map (pictured above), which indicates that 149 municipalities remain in the Red (highest of four) Zone for case rates. These towns in the Red Zone include both Lyme and Old Lyme.

Eleven towns are in the Orange Zone, one in the Yellow Zone and eight in the Gray Zone.

This number for the Red Zone is 10 less than for the previous week meaning the number of towns in the Red Zone  represents 88.2% of the state.

As a reminder, the number of towns in the Red Zone on Jan. 27, 2022 was 168 out of 169 towns.

As of June 9, 2022, all nine towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) remain in the Red Zone. The LLHD is no longer issuing reports with updated Case Rates and other metrics.

The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones Thursday, June 16 — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

The color-coded zones on the map above are:

Red: Indicates case rates over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population
Orange: Indicates case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population
Yellow: Indicates case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population
Gray: Indicates case rates lower than five per 100,000 population

CDC Maintains ‘Community Level’ at Low for New London County, Fairfield County Also Low; All Other CT Counties are ‘Medium’


June 9 Community Transmission levels. Map courtesy of CDC.

The map above shows that on June 9, both New London and Fairfield Counties are now categorized as ‘Low’ for Community Level, while all other Towns are ‘Medium.’ These levels are updated weekly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursdays.

The most recent email sent out by Ledge Light Health District regarding COVID data, which was sent out Friday, May 27, said, “Community members are advised to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, get tested if they have symptoms, and wear a mask when they are around others if they have symptoms, are positive or have had an exposure.”

It added, “People with symptoms should be tested and people with a positive test should isolate per guidelines. Masking remains an effective method for reducing the spread of COVID-19 and people may choose to mask even though our region is not designated as “High.””

The email concluded, “You can find the latest CDC Community Level, schedules of vaccination clinics and community testing events, and isolation/quarantine guidance on our website and, as always, we are here to answer any questions or provide support for community members.

Community Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID cases in a specific geographical area. CDC recommends taking precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID based on Community Levels in your area.

You can view the new tool by following this link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

LLHD continues to focus its vaccination efforts on homebound populations and providing initial vaccinations and boosters to individuals who were vaccinated previously. Information about vaccination opportunities can be found at https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-vaccine/.

COVID testing opportunities can be found at COVID-19 Testing | Ledge Light Health District (llhd.org)

The following link provides centralized access to Connecticut COVID data: https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-data/wa3g-tfvc/.

An explanation of the CDC Community Levels tool by Thomas Gotowka can be found at this link.

Statewide Situation – Daily Update

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate broke the 10% watershed on May 4 at 10.32%. It went through the 14% mark with the May 20 Rate of 14.19%, but the June 13 Positivity Rate fell to to 7.57%. 

On June 10, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations increased to 265 from the 259 recorded June 10.

In contrast, on Jan. 12, 2022, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations was 1,939.

Of those hospitalized on June 10, the number not fully vaccinated was 89 (representing 33.58%).

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut rose to 11,000 on June 13, according to The New York Times.

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by CT DPH Tuesday, June 14, around 4 p.m.

Increase in Cases in Lyme & Old Lyme Since August 2021

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 869 since Wednesday, Nov. 10, when the total stood at 443 — that number had stood unchanged for a week since the previous Thursday, Nov. 4.

On Aug. 26 — which was the day Lyme-Old Lyme Schools started the new academic year — Old Lyme’s cumulative case total stood at 372, meaning there have now been 940 new cases there since that date.

Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 207 new cases have also been confirmed there during the same period.

Fatalities Due to COVID-19 in Lyme, Old Lyme

There has been one COVID-related fatality of a Lyme resident: a 57-year-old male passed away Nov. 16, 2021. On Nov. 30, the state finally included this fatality in its data

Four COVID-related fatalities have now been reported in Old Lyme. The first two fatalities from Old Lyme, which were reported in 2020, were a 61-year-old female and an 82-year-old male.

Details of the third and fourth fatalities, which were reported respectively in 2021 and on Feb. 4, 2022, have not been made available.

COVID-19 Situation in LOL Schools

Under new state protocols for schools, Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools are no longer required to carry out contact tracing.

LOL Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser explained the latest developments in LOL Schools COVID protocols in an email dated April 1 to the school community, saying, “As noted in my email of February 17, 2022, beginning April 1, 2022 we will no longer report daily COVID-19 cases in the schools.”

He then stated, “For the remainder of this school year, that information will be complied on a weekly basis and will be available on our website at the following link: https://www.region18.org/parents/covid-data.”

Details published to date show the following number of positive cases in LOL Schools by week.
April 3-9: 0
April 10-16: 0
April 17-23: Spring Break
April 24-30: 7
May 2-7: 27
May 8-14: 41
May 15-21: 30
May 22-28: 23
May 29-June 4: 55
June 5-June 11: 19

The total number of cases recorded by the CT DPH in Lyme and Old Lyme for the week June 5-June 11 was 18, indicating almost all reported cases are potentially associated with LOL Schools.

For a summary of cases in LOL Schools between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2022, visit this link.

View a full listing of cases in LOL Schools between 8/26/21 – 12/23/21 at this link.

Old Lyme DTC Issues Statement Concerning Guns, Public Health

Editor’s Note: The Old Lyme DTC sent us this statement, which is also published on their website at this link.

OLD LYME — The Town of Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee (DTC) supports the statement below from Attorney Colin Heffernan, Democratic-endorsed candidate for the 23rd House District. We urge the public to take these issues most seriously and to vote for legislators who will adopt sensible gun legislation and increased access to behavioral healthcare. 

The DTC’s support for reasonable gun regulation does not mean we fail to support citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment. Like the vast majority of Americans, we support both. But we challenge this majority to hold our elected officials accountable for implementing measures to  reduce these intolerable daily mass-casualty events.

As noted by Colin [Heffernan], inconsistent and ineffective gun restrictions have led to easy access to military-style weapons. Uvalde demonstrated that even trained law enforcement officers may be hesitant or unwilling to confront assailants so armed, even if the lives of 4th graders are at stake. The data show that in places that have implemented  sensible gun restrictions, such as minimum age limits and red flag laws, lives are saved.  

The DTC seeks your support for legislators and candidates who, like Colin [Heffernan], will promulgate reasonable gun safety measures and public health measures, including mental health.

We have gotten to “enough.”

Statement from Colin Heffernan:

As the news of yet another shooting came out of Uvalde, on the heels of the shooting in Buffalo, I’m reminded of how little progress we’ve made since Sandy Hook. 

We still have craven politicians blaming everything but guns for the massacres that steal our children and threaten our lives in every corner of public space. 

We still have talking heads fantasizing that a “good guy with a gun” can stop monsters, even when we just saw that they can’t. 

I’d like to say “enough” but that won’t do. It will never be “enough” until we demand that lawmakers denounce the culture of death that values an AR15 over a child. It’s far too easy to get a weapon of mass carnage in this country, and no amount of bad faith whataboutism will change that fact. 

Oh, and here’s the thing: I’m a gun owner. I bought a shotgun while I was living in post-Katrina New Orleans where there were precious few police and the National Guard was patrolling the street under a state of emergency. It was a scary time and I know first-hand that there are legitimate reasons to purchase and keep a gun. 

But what we have now is madness. When a kid can go and buy two assault rifles for his eighteenth birthday and then murder 19 children a week later, the issue could not be starker. It is far too easy to obtain assault weapons and the results are horrific. We passed good  laws in Connecticut after Sandy Hook, but rifles and madmen don’t respect state lines and the easy access to assault weapons in the USA threatens all of us and all of our children. 

Let’s get to “enough” and demand that every one of our lawmakers commit to using every tool  at their disposal to enact nationwide comprehensive gun reform. If they refuse to do that, they  shouldn’t represent us … because they never will. 

Colin Heffernan
Democratic-endorsed candidate for House District 23